Joint degenerative diseases still pose a huge challenge for the contemporary medicine. As early as a few dozen years ago such disease affected population of elderly people demonstrating a low level of physical activity. The procedures developed to treat patients at this age have still been effective. However, a dramatic increase in a number of incidences of the joint degenerative disease in patients aged 40 – 50 has been observed in recent years. Civilization diseases, overweight, bad movement habits, low physical activity, and a sitting way of life are responsible for overburdening of joints, leading to early arthrosis. Another question is a shift in the expectations of elderly people, who, despite age and joint degenerations still want to do sports or be professionally active. 
Such people come to our offices not because pain disturbs them but because they seek some treatment that will help them – despite joint degenerations - do sports, work and be active for many incoming years. Are we capable of meeting such demands nowadays? Are we just able to “buy some time” until a patient has an endoprosthesis implanted? Is it at all possible to cure joint degenerative diseases? So far the procedures applied to treat degenerative diseases were actually “mechanical” solutions. And what role non-invasive biological therapies can play nowadays?
Regeneration medicine based on supplying cells capable of repairing tissues to the cell damage area has been raising hopes for many years. A guest to our Congress, doctor Arnold Caplan, who spent many years studying a sense of existence and functioning of stem cells, is going to explain us why these cells are actually not stem cells. Doctor Caplan will share his most recent knowledge about regeneration of the joint tissues, based on the mobilization of natural mechanisms of the human organism. From our patients’ perspective such therapies are nowadays perceived as just an “ordinary” injection and do not require a surgical intervention, which enforces us to entirely change our approach to the treatment and the way we use our procedures. This is no longer a vision of the future but real therapies that have already gained a strong position. Therefore, this year we would like to highlight a significance of chondrocyte grafts, that in the 1980s paved the way to the sophisticated cell therapies adopted in all medical areas. Over 30 years ago, a team of Swedish scientists launched the research on this groundbreaking achievement. After many-year studies and thousands of operations we know today that this is one of the most effective methods of treatment of the cartilage damages. In this anniversary year, Mats Brittberg, its author, is going to tell us how this discovery was made and share his thoughts about the future of this method. 
Everybody knows that efficacy of each theory needs to be confirmed in practice. Therefore this is not the first time that live surgical procedures performed by our speakers, right after their lectures, will be a crucial part of our Congress. We are going to show innovative surgeries of the knee joint, hip joint, and a foot. We have planned the sessions discussing reconstruction techniques applied in the treatment of the knee instability, mechanical axis disorders (osteotomies, shock absorbers), joint cartilage damages, meniscuses, arthroscopic techniques applied in the hip joint preservation as well as procedures applied in the ankle and foot surgery.
Innovative procedures require a new rehabilitation approach and adequate professional preparation of all members of our surgical team. Therefore, our Congress has always been a place where physical therapists and nurses have an opportunity to exchange their experience. 
We are hoping to meet again in lovely, vibrant September Warsaw, where hundreds of clubs and restaurants invite you till late night hours. 
We are hoping that our Congress will provide you with an opportunity to gain an extensive knowledge along with pleasant social memories.

We would like to cordially invite you to the Congress on behalf of the Organization Committee.

 

Konrad Słynarski	Jacek Walawski